April 7, 2024 – Fond du Lac Co., Wi – On Sunday, April 7, 2024, at approximately 1:21 a.m., a deputy with the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office attempted to stop a vehicle for a speed violation on southbound Interstate 41 at Lincoln Road in the town of Eldorado, Fond du Lac County.
The deputy activated his emergency lights and siren and the vehicle did not yield to attempts to stop it. The vehicle continued southbound on I41, and increased its speed in an attempt to elude the deputy. During this pursuit, deputies learned the vehicle matched the description of a vehicle sought by another Wisconsin law enforcement agency for involvement in a separate motor vehicle pursuit.
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Deputies deployed a Stop Stick tire deflation device on I41 at Scott Street. The vehicle struck the tire deflation device, and continued southbound on I41. The suspect vehicle’s speeds decreased significantly after striking the tire deflation device.
A fully-marked City of Fond du Lac Police Department patrol squad was at the bottom of the off-ramp to Military Road conducting channelization with its emergency equipment activated. The suspect vehicle went around this patrol squad, and continued up the off-ramp towards Military Road.
While traveling up the off-ramp, the suspect vehicle abruptly braked and turned in the path of the pursuing deputy. The suspect vehicle struck the front passenger side of the deputy’s fully-marked patrol squad.
The deputy utilized evasive maneuvers after the collision, and was able to maintain control of the patrol squad. The suspect vehicle came to a stop after the collision, and the driver was taken into custody without further incident. There were no other occupants in the suspect vehicle during the pursuit.
The driver was identified as a 19-year-old male from Fond du Lac, WI. He was determined to be the person of interest from the previous pursuit with the other law enforcement agency. The male has a suspended driver’s license status. Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office canine Koda conducted a sniff of the vehicle, and alerted. Deputies located open intoxicants in the vehicle, as well as packaging consistent with drug paraphernalia.
The driver was arrested for Vehicle Operator Flee and Elude Officers, 2nd Degree Recklessly Endanger Safety, and Criminal Damage to Property. He was also cited for several traffic violations.
The pursuit lasted 10.10 miles. The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office patrol squad struck by the suspect vehicle sustained minor damage. The suspect vehicle also sustained minor damage during the collision. The tire deflation device successfully caused a tire on the suspect vehicle to deflate. No civilians, suspects, or deputies were injured as a result of this pursuit.
The City of Fond du Lac Police Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, and Village of North Fond du Lac Police Department assisted the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office with this incident.
